Ladder



sept. 3,- 1940. h

c. E. MINNlcK LADDER Filed June 26, 1939 Patented Sept. 3, 1940 PATENTloFFlcE LADDER y Charles Minnick, Union Bridge, Md.

v Application June 26, 1939, Serial No'. 281,238

3 Claims.

' This invention relates to an improved ladder especially designed foruse as an efficientY and safe unit of fire apparatus. As shall presentlyappear, however, the invention is equally applica- 5 ble to a much widerfield and it is not my desire to be limited to any single specialty ofadaptation.

As is well known, re ladders usually consist of two matching stilesrigidly connected by rungs. Thus, in any instance where it is necessaryto erect the ladder upon a slope or where the object against which theladder is placed is tilted, the ladder is, as a consequence, caused tolean sidewise. This, as is well known, has proven dangerous to anyoneclimbing the ladder as, due to its sidewise tilt, the ladder has apronounced-tendency to slip and fall. To correct the hazard, bricks,blocks or any other convenient objects are generally used beneath thelower end of the stile `at the low side to approximate leveling of theladder. This expedient is also dangerous to use vof the ladder, however,as such chocks are not only inherently insecure but also, are so likelyto be accidentally displaced during the hurry and excitement of a re.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a ladderembodying self-contained means upon onev of the stiles for quickly andconveniently leveling the ladder.

A `furtherobject of the invention is to provide a ladder wherein theleveling means will be contained within the lines of the stile, so thatno parts will project to be accidentally broken off while, also,` the Yladder may be conveniently stacked with other ladders of the kind.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a ladder wherein theadjustable foot employed will be braced and guided against possibleangular canting with respect to the stile so that the foot will alwayshave free movement for ad- 40 justment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ladder wherein theadjusting means for the foot will be self-locking at any position ofadjustment so that once the ladder is leveled, the ladder will not slipsidewise due to any fault of said adjusting means.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide aconstruction of the utmost 50 simplicity commensurate with the practicaladvantages attained and capable of feasible manufacture at nominal cost.

Other and incidental objects of the invention will appear during thecourse of the following description and in the drawing:

(ci. 22S- 63) Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved ladder, showinghow the ladder may be leveled. f

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section particularlyshowing the leveling mechanism.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view showing the parts detached but inproper operative position.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View showing a slight modification.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view'showing a further slightmodification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have shown a ladderembodying stilesIIl and I I rigidly connected by rungs I2, all of wood,15 the bottom rung being specifically indicated at I3. Except as shallbe pointed out, the ladder may be otherwise of any approved constructionand, therefore, to dwell upon exact detail in this connection isunnecessary.

In accordance with the present invention, the stile II is shortened atits lower end and tightly tting the lower end of said stile is arectangular jacket I4, preferably of suitable sheet metal.

At its lower end, this jacket is provided with an 25 end wall I5limiting the jacket against upward movement on the stile and formed onor otherwise fixed to said wall is a screw sleeve I6. As seen in Figure2, this sleeve is accommodated in an axial bore I1 formed in the stileII from the 30 lower end thereof.

At this point, it is to be noted that the jacket I4 is provided in itsinner side wall with an opening I8 and the adjacent end of the bottomrung I3 of the ladder extends through said opening to 35 engage in asuitable socket in the stile II. Therefore, said bottom rung is utilizedas a means of locking the jacket I4- fixed upon the stile.

Embracing the vertical end walls I9 of the 40 jacket I4 are more or lesschannel shaped retaining hoods 20 coextensive with the jacket. Thevertical margins of the side walls of these hoods are turned inwardlytoward each other and are welded or otherwise rigidly xed to the sidewalls 45 of the jacket near the corners thereof. Thus, the hoods 20 arespaced from the end walls I9 as well as from the side margins of theside walls of the jacket and cooperate with the jacket to provideU-shaped channels 2I at the edges of the 50 jacket extending throughoutthe length thereof.

In conjunction with the jacket I4, I further provide a foot embodying arectangular socket 22, preferably of suitable sheet metal. This socketis provided with an upper end wall 23 and 55 tting in said socket is ashoe 24 which may be of wood and which is detachably i'ixed rigidlyinthe socket by suitable screws, as shown, or otherwise.

Rising from the vertical edges of the socket are parallel channel shapedguides 25 facing each other. These guides may be integral with thesocket or suitably fixed thereto and are also preferably of suitablesheet metal. The guides 25 slidably but more or less snugly t in thechannels 2I A embracing thevertical end walls of the jacket I4 and areretained for vertical sliding movement by the hoods 20. Thus, a metal tometal Contact is provided between the guides and the jacket and due tothe length of the parts and the presence of the hoods, a straight linerectilinear relation between the parts will be maintained so that thefoot may always slide freely and canting or binding between the partswill be prevented.

Detachably secured to the end wall 23 of the foot, as by screws orotherwise, is a bearing plate 26 preferably of suitable sheet metal andspun upwardly from theplate or otherwise suitably xed thereto is a moreor less conical bearing 21. Journaled at its lower end in said bearingis an adjusting screw 28 having a conical head 29 rotatably fittingfreely in said bearing. As will be perceived, the screw may be removeddownwardly through the bearing 21 when the plate 26 is removed andremovably xed to the screw near the lower end'thereof is a nut 30 bywhich the screw may be manually turned. The threads of the screw arepreferably of steep pitch so that the adjustment will be fast and, aswill be observed, said screw is received through the sleeve I6 to coacttherewith and,`at its upper end, is freely accommodated in the bore I'I.

As will now be perceived, the screw 28 may be manually turned in eitheronedirection or the other for adjusting the foot of the stile II up ordown so that the ladder may be readily leveled. Furthermore, endwiseweight on the screw cannot serve to rotate the screw, so that the footwill remain xed in any position of adjustment while, also, the parts alllie substantially within the lines of the stile IB and will thus be protected.

In some instances where it is desired to place the rung I3 Very low, itmay prove expedient to fasten the adjacent end of said rung to thejacket I4 so as to obviateinterference by the rung-terminal with thebore I1 of the stile Il or the adjustingscrew 28. In Figure 4, I haveshown a slight modification intended to meet the contingency. As will beobserved, the inner side wall of the jacket, which jacket is indicatedas a whole at 3|, is provided with a nipple 32 to accommodate theadjacent end of the lower rung. As will be understood, the rung will beof a length to terminate in said nipple and may be fastened by a radialpin or screw. Alsothe jacket 3l may be provided in its inner side wallwith openings 33to receive screws or the like for securing the jacketfixed on the stile I I. Otherwise, the construction is as rst described.

In Figure 5 of the drawing, I haveshown another modication pertainingmore particularly to the foot employed. In this modicatiorr, the foot isindicated as a whole at 34. Instead of the socket 22 and shoe 24, thelower part of the foot 34 is made solid of metal and is preferablyhollowed out at its lower edge, as shown, to provide extremities to restupon the ground. Otherwise, the construction is as first described.

Having thus 4described my invention', I claim:

1. A ladder including a stile having a bore therein, a jacket fixed tosaid stile and provided with hoods for-ming channels and with a screw.sleeve receivedin said bore, a foothavingguides therein, a jacket ttingthe lower end of the stile s and provided with a screw sleeveaccommodated in the mouth of said bore, said sleeve having end walls,hoods embracing said end Walls and fixed to the sleeve to providechannels, a foot having guides slidably received in said channels, ascrew rotatable upon the foot and received through said sleeve withinsaid bore to coact with the sleeve, said screw being rotatable foradjusting the foot relative to the Stile, and a plate removably securingthe screw upon the foot and provided vvith a bearing mounting the screw.

CHARLES E.

